Weight Loss and Recovery

Share your daily McDougall menus and/or keep a journal describing your personal progress.

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Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Tue Mar 03, 2020 11:07 am

I'm going to start logging my food here to keep myself accountable. I have been doing MWL since 01/02/2020, and have lost 8 pounds so far this year. My all-time high weight was 260 lbs. My lowest weight was 160 lbs in 2012. It took me 3 years to lose those 100 lbs. Since then, I have bounced around way too much, and I currently weigh 199. My goal weight is 135. More importantly, I have had T2D since 2004. I have had good results keeping it controlled with diet and exercise in the past, but lately not so much. I decided in January to make 2020 the year I finally reverse this disease and reach my goal weight. I have not been perfect, not even close, but I am still at it 2 months later and feel like recording things here will help me fine-tune my efforts and hold me accountable.

I am logging my food and activity here each day, as well as my fasting blood sugar. I will record my A1c and other lab results when I get those done. I am weighing in on the MWL monthy thread each Friday, so will record my weight here weekly.

I will also comment on how well I do on Jeff Novick's MWL 10-point checklist each day:

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.

2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.

3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.

4.. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).

6. Eliminate any added oil.

7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.

8. Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

FOOD TODAY:

Breakfast-
1 lb. steamed broccoli

1/2 c (measured dry) Oats
1 large banana
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup soymilk + 1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh strawberries

Lunch -
1 pear

2 cups Cabbage "Noodle" Soup
(recipe from fat free vegan blog, with 1/2 cup dry brown rice added to recipe)

Snack -
Green smoothie with
strawberries
blueberries
banana
power greens
almond milk
2 small pitted dates

Dinner -
Black beans and rice with salsa

Exercise- 25 min elliptical
Last edited by kirstykay on Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:29 pm, edited 3 times in total.
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby bunsofaluminum » Tue Mar 03, 2020 1:48 pm

Hieeeee KK!!!

Yay! how have you been?
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Tue Mar 03, 2020 1:53 pm

Hey there, Buns!! Long time. no see! Glad to see you back here. I'm doing well...still "keepin' on keepin'on! :wink: I'll have to read through your journal and see what's been going on with you! Thanks for saying 'Hi'! Hopefully we can catch up soon!! :)
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby SilverDollar123 » Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:12 pm

Hey Kirsty! Welcome Back! Missed you. YOU can do this. RAS
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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby Qwerty988 » Wed Mar 04, 2020 10:57 am

Looks like we're both back on track for 2020 -- and we got this!! :D
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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Wed Mar 04, 2020 12:53 pm

SilverDollar123 wrote:Hey Kirsty! Welcome Back! Missed you. YOU can do this. RAS

Hi RAS!! Missed you too! It's good to be back! How are you?


Qwerty988 wrote:Looks like we're both back on track for 2020 -- and we got this!! :D

YES! :nod: Let's DO THIS!
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Wed Mar 04, 2020 1:06 pm

FBS: 323

FOOD TODAY:

Bkfs: 9:00 am
1 lb Broccoli
(left house at 9:30. Wasn't hungry. so didn't have oatmeal.)

4 Mejool dates 12:00
(went to Costco after Bible study, but I was hungry. Probably would have been better to go home first-didn't eat samples-yea!)

Lunch: 1:30
Sweet Kale Salad (prepackaged from Costco)
Used the pepitas and dried cranberries, but not the dressing.
fat free poppy seed dressing
1/2 can chickpeas to 1/2 bag of salad

Snack: 4:00 -
Banana

DInner: 7:00
Easy Minestrone Soup (from McDougall website)

Snack: 9:00
Air Popped popcorn


EXERCISE:
7:30 am - 20 min. Elliptical at home
6:00 pm - 35 min. Elliptical at Gym
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kkrichar » Thu Mar 05, 2020 2:36 pm

Hi Kirsty!! I'm so excited to follow along with you!! I remember waaaay back when reading your journal like my favorite TV show. For awhile you posted weekly and it was torture waiting a week to see the next installment!! Haha, I feel like I've known you forever!
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HW: 220 lbs BMI=36.3
CW: 162 lbs BMI=26.5
GW: 135 lbs BMI=22.3
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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:20 pm

kkrichar wrote:Hi Kirsty!! I'm so excited to follow along with you!! I remember waaaay back when reading your journal like my favorite TV show. For awhile you posted weekly and it was torture waiting a week to see the next installment!! Haha, I feel like I've known you forever!


Kelly,
HaHa! You're so funny! I remember those days. Posting here was like a lifeline for me, and I felt the same about your journal! Hopefully this will be the year we both become "Star McDougallers" - :) So, how about it? Are you going to start a new journal, too?
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:52 pm

fbs 283

I've decided to post at the end of the day instead of logging on with each meal several times in the day. The danger here is forgetting that I've eaten something, so today I wrote down everything I ate. Another option that works for me sometimes and also serves as a nice visual in terms of volume/amount, is taking a picture of each thing before I eat it. That way, if I can ever remember how to post pictures on this forum, I can post some "what I ate today" pictures. We'll see what ends up working better for me.

Today was a good day. I have been able to string 3 good days together, and am starting to feel more confident ~ just like Moonlight said when I reached out on the MWL forum to say I was struggling. I know I'm not out of the woods completely, but my resolve has returned and that feels good. I went to the grocery store today and it felt like a War Zone! I felt the siren song of all the food-like products trying to entice me, but I resisted ALL OF THEM! My environment at home is really clean, and as long as I make good decisions at the grocery store, I can keep it that way!

So, I've decided to do try what Querty988 is doing. Her post really inspired me to experiment with staying under 500 cal/lb on the Calorie Density chart. I'm going to try it until Easter and see how it goes. That means I'll be eating unlimited vegetables, fruit, potatoes, corn, squash, and oats without fancy recipes, keeping my starch/veg ratio at 50/50. I'll be staying away from rice, grains, pasta, legumes, and beans, as well as everything below the green line. She also makes sure to eat one pound of raw veggies each day. This could be a challenge, but I love raw veggies like carrots, celery, bell peppers, and cucumbers. I just have to make sure I have them cut up and ready to grab when I'm hungry or wanting something to crunch. I can do that. My motivation for trying this is to get my blood sugar down quickly by not overeating on the higher calorie dense foods. The faster weight loss wouldn't hurt either, as long as it's sustainable. It's just an experiment.I will see how my body responds or if this makes it harder to stay on plan. I am happy to see my fbs lower today than the last two days, and I'd like to keep it going and stay off meds. I'll start this experiment after the meals that I've made with beans and rice in them are gone in a couple days.

Logging my food these last few days has been eye-opening. I realize the places that I'm allowing little things that may be making a big difference. Like dates, soymilk, maple syrup, air-popped popcorn. I'm going to clean these things up and see if it helps. I have heard time and time again how 100% is easier than 95%. I would like to actually test that theory!

Okay, that's enough blabbering on...

FOOD TODAY:

BKFS: 11:00
1 lb steamed broccoli
coffee with soymilk and 1 tsp sugar

LUNCH: 1:00
Sweet Kale Salad (other half from yesterday)
One can chickpeas

SNACK: 4:00
1 large Pear
1 cup coffee with soymilk and 1 tsp sugar

Dinner: 6:30

Black Bean and Corn Enchilada Chili (High Carb Hannah recipe)
Spanish Rice

SNACK: 9:00
Banana/Cherry Nice Cream


EXERCISE:
30 min. elliptical at home
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Fri Mar 06, 2020 8:57 am

Weighed in on the Friday MWL group. Want to record some numbers here.

01/02/2020: Beginning weight - 207.9
01/31/2020: January weight - 201.8
02/28/2020: February weigh - 199.8
Total loss in 2020 so far: -9.2 lbs :D

Lab Results 01/17/2020
A1c 12.1
C-Peptide 3.02
Lipid Panel:
Total Cholesterol 181
Triglycerides 88
HDL 64
LDL 99
VLDL 18
Chol/HDL Ratio 2.8
Non HDL 117

A1c is in a very dangerous range...Dr. recommended Metformin-Glipizide combo until we reverse insulin resistance. She also said we should be able to reverse this because my C-peptide result indicates that my body is still making insulin. I asked her for some time before I start medication. I really don't want to be on any meds, but I can't continue to have out of control blood sugar. I have not been consistent enough to see major changes in my fbs yet, but when I stick to this diet, the numbers do go down. I see the doctor again on March 30th, so this is a critical month for me to prove to myself and to her that I can stay off meds. I am very fortunate to have found a WFPBLF doctor who is board certified in Lifestyle medicine for the first time ever! She is willing to work with me to reverse my T2D with diet and exercise alone. I was diagnosed in 2004, so I know that I am on borrowed time. I reversed it once before, when I lost 100 pounds over three years (2009-2012) and kept it off for 3 years. I know more now than I did then, and 2020 is my year to regain my health and return to a normal weight for the first time in my adult life. I am committed. I am ready. I will do this like my life depends on it...because it does.
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Fri Mar 06, 2020 6:30 pm

FOOD TODAY
Bkfs: 11:00
Broccoli

12:00
Blackberries

Lunch: 1:30
2 lg bowls Vegetable soup
Sweet potato

Snack: 4:00
Banana oatmeal

Dinner: 7:30
Air fried potatoes
Mixed vegetables
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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kirstykay
 
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Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Sat Mar 07, 2020 7:52 pm

Fbs 255

FOOD TODAY

Bkfs: 1:00
Oatmeal with bananas and cherries
Lunch: 4:00
Veggie soup (2 big bowls)
Pear
Dinner: 7:00
Air Fries and mixed veggies
Nice cream


Exercise: Spring Cleaning (fitbit logged 11K steps!)
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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kirstykay
 
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Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Tue Apr 07, 2020 9:48 am

It was my intention to post my meals here daily. Obviously, I haven't done that. I am doing well, though, and I feel like this would be a helpful exercise. I am committed to this "Slow-Fast Way" that Dr. Lisle speaks of. And Jeff. Same. Simple, slow steps in the right direction...time and adherence. I've never been good at it. I realized today that I am somewhat addicted to the excitement and allure of something new and exciting. That has not served me well, so I am going to just keep doing what I've been doing. Eating the right food, mostly starches, walking every day, keeping my head down and continuing on losing slowly but consistently. It's not exciting or sexy, but it's working and I am doing my darnedest not to sabotage the success I've been having.

I'm not leaving the house, and not letting anyone in. Not shopping, so have to eat what's here, which is plenty. We have very few fresh veggies left- some kale, some cabbage, a little celery. I'm roasting my last butternut squash right now. I have some oranges and apples, and two sweet potatoes left. I'm out of regular potatoes, bananas, carrots, celery, garlic, and just used my last onion. I will need to get creative with spices in my recipes without these staples that I rely on for just about everything. I do have frozen veggies and fruit, hashbrowns, and some canned fruits and veggies, so I'm good. Plenty of dried beans, lentils, rice, barley, pasta, canned tomatoes. We won't starve. Makes me wish I had a vegetable garden.

Here's What I've been eating lately:
~Breakfast is consistently oatmeal which I never get tired of. I make it many different ways, so it's always delicious and never boring.
~Lunch is usually some kind of soup: Lentil Vegetable Soup, Split Pea Soup, Taco Soup, Chickpea Noodle Soup, Pasta Fagioli, Cabbage Soup, Simple Vegetable Soup, right now I have White Bean and Kale soup in the IP.
~Dinners have been varied: lentil loaf with mashed red potatoes and mixed veggies, Cheezy Rice and Broccoli Casserole, Unlayered Lasagna, Burrito Bowls, Pasta Primavera with Marinara, Chickpea Spinach Burgers with Sweet Potato fries.

I haven't been snacking or having dessert at night because I am trying to not eat more food than I need so we don't run out before the quarantine is over. I am not hungry, and it's been a great opportunity to find that place of satisfaction without overeating.
I'm finding that with a clean environment, I am not tempted by any off-plan food. I am not having cravings or feeling at all deprived, which just proves to me what a strong influence my environment has on me, and how important it is to keep all the junk out of the house. Early on in the quarantine I ate some peanut butter with an apple, and realized that I kept wanting more peanut butter. My husband put it somewhere and now I'm not thinking about it anymore. He can eat it. I can't. Fine with me.

I am consistently losing about a pound a week. I'll try to come on here more often to post daily menus. I'm enjoying reading up on everyone's starchavore adventures during this strange time in our world. It's a comfort to be able to control that which is in our control...our diet and exercise...when so much else seems so out of control. Hope everyone takes care and stays safe and healthy!
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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kirstykay
 
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Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:01 am

I feel so good today. Sun is shining! I love living in SC! I was so DONE with WI...sorry WI! It's been in the 80s and sunny all week, and I'm LOVING my morning walks around my neighborhood during quarantine. I started with 30 minutes, and I'm up to 40 min. I will do that for a week and then increase it to 45 minutes. It's very hilly here, so it's a real workout for me. I'm not fast, but that's not the point. I just feel really hopeful...feels good to be on the right track.

FOOD TODAY:

BKFS- Oatmeal (duh)...today I added PB2 powder and it was DELISH!!! I'm rationing my fruit, so excited to find something to put in it that makes me so happy! I just LOVE my morning oatmeal!

LUNCH- Leftover Taco Soup. So, so good. I'm sad it will be gone after today. Very hearty

DINNER- White Bean and Kale Soup served over Bulgar and Quinoa Mix
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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